The present invention relates broadly to an interlocking flight finding particular application in continuous vertical conveyor systems and the like.
Vertical conveyor systems are employed by manufacturing, transportation, and other industries in the movement of goods from one elevational level to another. Advantageously, vertical conveyors optimize the utilization of plant floor space. Inasmuch as goods are moved directly in an upwards or downwards direction, the space needed for such a transport system is generally less than that associated with other elevational conveying systems such as, for example, an inclined belt or roller conveyor. Thus, vertical conveyors provide multi-level transport in a minimum of space allowing for the efficient utilization of a plant floor by exploiting air space above or below the floor which is usually left vacant. Moreover, process materials, goods, or the like may be transported up and over or down and under process machinery, aisles, and other obstacles to thereby avoid the expense associated with production line changes.
In general operation, continuous vertical conveyors are designed to accept a load horizontally, convey it vertically, and then discharge it horizontally at an elevational level higher or lower than the level on which it was accepted. Accordingly, loading and unloading is effected in a Z-shaped pattern. That is, the goods are infed to the vertical conveyor via a feed conveyor, which may be, for example, of a live roller or belt type, for receipt by a lift platform. The platform is fastened at opposite ends between a pair of inside and outside chains which, when powered by a drive motor and a system of drive and idler rollers, effect the horizontal and vertical translation of the platform. For continuous, cyclic operation in the automatic transport of goods, a plurality of platforms fastened between the inside and the outside chains typically are provided. As a moving platform receives each load from the feed conveyor and conveys it either upwardly or downwardly to an unload station, another platform is returned to the feed conveyor to receive the next load. A typical continuous vertical conveyor system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,891, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Heretofore, the lift platforms known in the prior art, such as those used in, for example, vertical conveyor model 40-50 manufactured by Vertical Systems, Incorporated, of Louisville, Ky., and in model 4-SC manufactured by TKF Incorporated, of Cincinnati, Ohio, have been comprised of a relatively complex combination of tubular platform tubes fastened between a pair of flexible hinge assemblies. Between the hinge assemblies at opposite ends of the platform are fastened a pair of flat support members which, in turn, are fastened between the inside and outside chains. Although advantageously providing for rigidity while in a horizontal, load-carrying position and for flexibility in the opposite direction to allow for rotation around drive sprockets and the like, such platforms are quite material and labor intensive owing to the number of component parts which must be fastened together with bolts, nuts, and the like. Such material and labor intensiveness understandably lead to an expense which could be eliminated were the platform assembly simplified. Thus, it is apparent that improvements in platforms would be well-received by the various industries which employ continuous vertical conveyor systems.